Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-06-18
The Proposed Route of the Ohio Valley
Railroad.

We do not profess to understand engineer
Ing nor do we wish to be oficious, but being
somewhat familiar with the ground over
has been surveyed, having repeatedly hunted
ane Travelled over ii for years, we propose, on
behalf of the citizens of Erin and our county,
to offer few suggestions on the subject. 1t
certainly cannot be for the interest of the
company altogether to ignore and give the
go-by to the most fiOurishing and important
business point between the rivers-in fact,
next TO Clarksvllle, 1t is the most important
shipping point between Memphis Junction
and the city of Memphis. In April, 1886, the
receipts from freights to and from Erin were
S2,395.44, and in the same month, 1887, the
amop IY was ss1S And in March, 1887,
annual income, taking the last month as a
basis, of s46,339.44, and rapidly increasing.
We challenge comparison with these figures
lfany one desires to dispute the above asser-
ton.
The difficulty with the engineers seems to
have been that there was no possible route
by which the road could descend from the
ridge to Erin on anything like O practicable
grade, and that the nearest point at which
they could approach this place was at the
Peach Orchard. Let us examine into this
proposition for moment. The writer is
somewhat familiar with the country over
which the route has already been surveyed to
descend from George Sinks along the hill
sides Of WhiteOak to the valley of that creek
and also with that up Whiteoak and Win
stead's Branch over the ridge to McEwen, and
venture the assertion (which we think will
be borne out by every one who is familiar
with the localitles), that there is feasible
route from the ridge opposite Parson Gray's
beyond the Peach Orchard to Erin, which
would place the crossing OF the Louisville 4
Nashville railroad on level and in fine
place for crossing, with suitable and access.
ible space for depot buildings, &C., and neal
enough to Erin for all practicable purposes
and over route which would, we think
| afford at least as low grade, and vastly su.
perior local and commercial advantages tC
the proposed serpentine circuit around q bar.
rem ridge where nobody lives, crossing the
heads of hollows and the hillsides as pro.
posed, and 1t is the purpose of this article tc
call attention to It, Just this side OF the Ash
between the waters of the Cumberland and
| the Tennessee rivers, there heads q Ions
hollow which makes up from Arlington
| called the Ballentine hollow. which trends to
the peach orchard, and extends along thence
almost Oh q parallel with the Dover road
nearly to Rev. John W. Grays place, where
the head of the hollow almost loses itself in
| the ridge, down which we think an easy
grade could be obtained to Arlington. Com.
| Ing down the Ballentine hollow to Arlington
the road could cross the Louisville 4 Nash.
willie In Miller's fields, near McGregor, Heet
& Co. g works, and between the latter and tn
| lime works OF Harris a. BuQuo and the Erin
Lime Co.'s kilns at Arlington, from all o.
winch switches could easily ana cheaply bt
made to the depot in Miller's field. Thence
the roadbed could be built xp what is called
| the graveyard hollow. past two more of Har'
ris Buquos kilns, nom one branch OF which
the ridge could be reached at n practicable
grade; or turning down this, the West Fork
| OF Wells Creek. on which Erin Is situated
connect with the depot at Erin and proceed
on down the creek To the main branch o
Wells Creek, going up which a route coult
1 be easily found to the ridge again. We de
sire, by throwing ont these suggestions, no
| SO much TO express an opinion upon matter
OF which we are comparatively Ignorant, a
to get the people TO thinking about and dis
cussing the smattsr, for we do not think 9,
important q manufacturing and commercial
point as Erin ought to be left out in the COLI
II it could las we think II can) be possibi,
| avoided by any means, and we would like Il
see the business men and capitalists of Err
aroused to true appreciation OF the interes
| which they have In this the most importan
crisis which has ever arrived In the history o
our town and county.